Unattainable
by belforma
Summary: Doing the 30 kisses challenge for Raguna and Bianca de Sainte-Coquille. AS SUCH, Raguna/Bianca-ccentric. hints of other things, too, sometimes.
1. Unattainable

**a/n**: alright, so this is my attempt to do 30_kisses on Raguna and Bianca de Sainte-Coquille from _Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon_. I decided I'd post here, too, so ... um, here. :D

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**Title**: « unattainable »**  
Author**: alcoholiccoffee**  
Pairing**: Raguna/Bianca**  
Fandom**: Rune Factory**  
Theme**: #26, if only I could make you mine**  
Disclaimer**: Rune Factory © Natsume.

She is sweet, like strawberries. Though she is hardly comparable in any other way, that is the first thing that Raguna compares her to. The sweet yet sour taste of the strawberries he grows in the spring that he shares with the other girls – Lara, Rosetta, and Tori, who giggle with joy at their favorite sweets, grown by this charming new amnesiac farmer boy that Mist has taken in.

It is the doll-like girl who lives in Jasper's manor that reminds him of the fruits. She seems so distant, as though she lives somewhere far, far away and it is only a painting that he's looking at. Pampered, spoiled, they've called her. He sees how this makes sense if only by her appearance and the house she lives in. Her powder blue hair has a healthy sheen to it and he watches in awe as her curls fall into place when the maid puts Bianca's hair into full pigtails in the morning, complete with red ribbon. She wears dresses fitting of royalty – a princess or something similar. They are pastel shades of pink, red, and purple, or vibrant in a plain and simple way. Dresses made from cotton and silk with frills and lace. There is a peculiar accessory on one of her outfits that looks almost like a bubblegum pink tie protruding from a golden brooch on the matching jacket; he enjoys when she wears this because he thinks it makes her look more unique and Barbie-ish than usual.

The princess is always wearing silk white gloves with golden bracelets, undoubtedly decorated with different gems. She lives on the second floor of the mansion. Sometimes Raguna will chat with her maid, Tabatha, when she goes out shopping, though he never intentionally brings her up. Still, Tabatha has nothing much else to talk about; she goes on about how Bianca does this and that, and it fascinates him an indescribable amount. How could this girl be considered 'selfish' and 'prissy'?

The amount of affection in Tabatha's voice is enough to tell him otherwise. Surely, Bianca is more or less… misunderstood. Yes, that's it. She must be misunderstood, waiting for someone to realize that she's not a bad person. She sounds so sweet – sweet like strawberries, he remembers. He feels so confident that she is a kind princess and that something keeps her locked up in that terrible room until every holiday she musters up the courage to walk outside. Instead, she leaves her admirers – Raguna – to look up at her through that window until she finally closes the curtains and retires.

It may be _stalking_, but to catch a glimpse at Bianca – to watch her lithe and agile movements when she walks around the manor, though closest he gets is peering in from windows across the street, casually pretending to be watering plants on the sidewalk – it's more than definitely worth it in Raguna's mind.

She is stunning and sweeter than strawberries, he decides.

Lara begins to worry for him, wondering why he no longer visits and doesn't bring strawberries up for the girls anymore. She says that she's been down to his farm multiple times, but he's never home. He appreciates her concern immensely, as Lara is also a very sweet girl, but tells her that he's simply been working on a large project. She nods and accepts that, probably expecting something wonderful from him for _her_.

Rosetta, the tomboyish blondie that ships his crops, finds the strawberries stacking up in the box. This frustrates her, too – "Are you in a pinch for money, Raguna? I love your strawberries, and your company, you know. … of course, I mean, we love your company. Tori and Lara and I. You grow the best strawberries. I would love it if you would show me how to grow them like you do. You know I could come over anytime…"

She went on for a while, complaining about how he never spends time with any of the girls anymore, grabbing at sticks just to get him to spend more time with her. She even scowled once and said, "You've been hanging around Jasper's place a lot more. Don't tell me you've been talking to Bianca. Who can stand her?!" She calmed down after this when Raguna told her that he was simply planting some flowers around the area to make Kardia more beautiful.

In truth, he didn't find it a bad idea to plant some moondrops and toyherbs around the manor to make Bianca's radiance all the more glaringly obvious from the street. As if it were possible to make her more majestic!

Eventually, Raguna found himself scattering the seeds of the flowers over the spare grass near Jasper's mansion. He got Leo to upgrade his watering can using the small amounts of iron he had found in Carmite Cave when not fawning over Bianca and had more than enough water for all of his flowers, which made him immensely happy. It would be such a pain to have to run all the way back to his house just to get more water for such a small flower patch. He would do it, and more than likely _gladly_ at that, but it would certainly be less convenient.

He cared for these flowers lovingly, tending to them before even his own crops. When he got up at six in the morning, the first thing he would do was pull on some clothes and grab his watering can, then head down to Third Street.

It was when he finished watering these crops one day that he knew that he had nothing to give Bianca.

Even if she should ever be close to meet him and to know him, he would be unable to offer her anything. What could he give a princess who could have anything and everything she wanted already?

There was nothing he could do. The only thing he had was his company in this situation. The other girls loved his crops and his occasional rare find in the Carmite Cave when he visited every so often. Mist enjoyed hearing of the bag of 'phantom crop' seeds he had found stashed in an ant hill and Tabatha thought his kindness towards monsters was commendable.

But Bianca – Bianca was royalty, precious, and, perhaps, yes, _spoiled_.

Immediately he recoils from this thought, stepping backwards and sliding his gloves off and on his hands in a nervous habit. Even after all his gazing at her and knowing that the chances of them being together were slim to none, he wanted to believe that they would get married eventually. With this realization, he knew that his chances diminished significantly. There was nothing charming or useful about Raguna – it was all in his head that they would live together one day, hand in hand. He imagined what she would look like laying next to him and on their wedding day, bouquet, veil and all. He imagined their kisses, the first and the one that sealed their 'I do's.

Bianca on the beach.

Bianca when she is sick.

Bianca wrapped in his arms.

Bianca and their child.

Bianca on the farm.

Bianca cooking lunch for _him_.

Did Bianca even know how to cook?

Oh, none of it mattered to him. He wished it would happen, whether she actually knew how to cook or not. He knows that perhaps Felicity or Mist, maybe even Rosetta, would be more suited to this life. He knows that what he seeks is not just another wife or a farm girl that would gladly do her part in a family. It is the captivating and untouchable daughter of Jasper, the rich, fat man who would only allow a man to _look_ at her if they do Jasper favors first. This is the reason that Raguna cannot find himself knocking on Jasper's door, asking quietly, "May I see Bianca?"

He should be bringing Jasper delicacies from his kitchen to create a friendship with him so that he may be introduced to her officially, but that makes his heart beat too hard and he quickly shakes the thought of his head. Even if he were introduced, he is too much of a coward to say anything – and what, precisely, would he say to a _princess_?

He doesn't even remember his past. He can't remember what he's said to the other girls in his life or even what he's done. How embarrassing it would be, if on their wedding day a girl he married long a go showed up. Bianca would never forgive him – never give him a chance to explain! And who wants to marry a boy who can't remember his own wife, after all?

She would hate him then, and his chances with this wonderful girl would be thrown away – dreams ripped away from his hands just as they were seconds away from becoming reality.

Things have been made delightfully awkward due to his amnesia. Bianca might allow him the honor of feeling _anything_ for him and _pity_ him. Her attention would be such a lovely thing. Even though she would still be so far away, she would be closer. She would know he was there and know _about_ him. What he looked like, his past – as much of it as he could tell, at least.

And the only part of it that he could tell was that he had amnesia. So Bianca would know his whole life story, if he could just get the damn girl to pity him. He would be so much closer to being less of a dreamer and more of a spinner, who would make it sound as though Bianca was truly in love with him – in his head, of course. Oh, what a fool he would be if he actually told the villagers about him and her, married, where she cooked and he worked, and they had a precious daughter.

No, that wouldn't do at all. It was just a fantasy that he loved to play out in his head, loved almost as much as Bianca herself – if what he felt for Bianca could even be called love. He had never met the girl. He didn't know anything about her other than the small basics that everyone knew.

Infatuation.

But god was that infatuation and general fascination powerful.

It made him angry – it made him _furious_ – that he had not even given her a cookie on the Spring Festival, though he had given every other girl, _including_ Sharron and Mei, one (two, in some case). Could he not call the obsession he had with her – oh, he would openly admit it was _obsession_ now – feelings? He was no less than an inch from her when he gave Tabatha a light brown cookie, baked to perfection with chocolate chips sprinkled on top, with a cheery smile. The maid's cheeks began to turn a light shade of pink and he smiled wider, imagining that shade on Bianca, but he walked by without a second thought.

He had baked a cookie for Bianca, too – it had been in his refrigerator for the longest time when he simply fed it to the birds.

It made him so upset seeing that cookie there, not being given to Bianca, not in Bianca's hands, not being eaten slowly and politely by _Bianca_. Instead, he threw it to the birds in crumbs and prayed to god that it would never come back again to haunt him and remind him constantly of his cowardice and his failure – of his creepy demeanor and the fact that Bianca would never love him, especially not if he could never actually speak to her.

He still hadn't officially met her by the time the Moonlit Eve came around in Fall, and again found himself on Third Street, outside of Jasper's mansion. Now he planted charm blue flowers outside of her window, constantly mumbling something or other to himself. He found that he couldn't help it – all of the thoughts that had built up in the past two seasons came tumbling out, though rather incoherently. Crop charts, schedules of shops, thoughts on the bachelorettes, little bits of Melody's ranting that had stayed in Raguna's mind ever since she started talking to him during afterhours, Bianca fantasies.

It could be said that he simply loved autumn and found it a good time to vent or he was going insane, his obsession finally catching up with him.

He decided his goddamn mumbling was a terrible thing when Bianca stepped down the front steps of the mansion with her hands folded on the Moonlit Eve, perhaps about to go out for a walk or to join her date on the top of Mt. Gigant.

The latter made his heart sink at the very thought – oh, god, has someone else already stolen her heart? Is that why she's so uninterested in everything? The highlight of her day is seeing _that_ boy. Perhaps _that_ boy's some prince that rides around the countryside, searching for his perfect match, his soulmate, and he has found her in Bianca.

Raguna would never be able to compete with that.

She looked at him curiously and waved. "Hello, sir. Are you alright?" Raguna was frozen like a deer in headlights, so she raised an eyebrow and tried to look him in the eye. "I know you. You're the. The farmer boy. I went to your house, didn't I? Oh, I remember that. Such a small, terrible house. Have you fixed that, yet?" With no reply still, she folded her arms and sighed. "Surely you know it's _rude_ to ignore a lady. And what – what in the world are you doing planting flowers on Daddy's land? Daddy doesn't like anything if it's not edible – with the exception, of course, being Tabatha and I."

Finally, Raguna stopped the continuous stream of water on one patch of charm blues and placed his watering can down next to his feet. He straightened up and brushed his hand through his messy brown hair for a second and shrugged. "I though that Kardia needed more character." Even he was shocked that he hadn't stuttered once. It had taken him a while to actually reply and to process the fact that Bianca was talking to him – _knew _who he was, because he was, more or less, 'the farmer boy', right?

Bianca cocked her head to the right and closed her eyes. "Oh, how true. What a sad little village, so devoid of life and character. I'd much rather live in the city."

Again, Raguna's heart sank. He liked farming. He wanted to marry her and live _here_ with her, in his oh-so terrible house. It wouldn't be so small for so long – he was saving up to get a house expansion, knowing that Bianca wouldn't dare live with him unless he at least fixed it up somewhat. Not to mention Ivan wouldn't sell him a double bed until his house was larger.

In the silence that followed Bianca's statement, both of them thinking for a short while, Raguna extended a hand and followed up with a sheepish grin and, "Hi. I-I'm Raguna. New farmer boy, but you knew that."

It took her a while to realize that he had spoken to her, as though he wasn't even worth her time. When she did notice, she just stared at his hand and then turned her gaze towards the stars. She spoke dryly and apathetically. "Bianca de Sainte-Coquille."

Raguna withdrew his hand and instead stuffed them in his pockets. Finding a bag of charm blue seeds, he began toying with it just to keep him occupied as he considered what the others had said. She did seem a bit like a prude, it was true, but it was probably just a bad day. He remembered that it was Moonlit Eve today and Bianca didn't seem to be going anywhere in a hurry. It was nine at night. Any girls who had a date would've been gone by now, certainly.

She must've been distressed because she didn't have a date, of course. And why would she when she's got her pretty face up in that mansion all day?

"Moonlit Eve, huh?" he asked, wondering if she would confirm his suspicions.

"Oh, what a silly holiday, don't you think?" She covered her mouth with a gloved hand and giggled.

Shrugging, he looked over at the mountains and thought he saw a witch hat – Melody and Camus, maybe. He smirked at this. "I don't know. It's a nice holiday for couples."

"Well, it would seem that's no good for either of us, else you would be up there already, hn?"

And it was then that Raguna acted on impulse. Having her speaking to him was more than he could bear with the knowledge that a relationship was impossible. They were simply too _different_ – him being 'the farmer boy' and Bianca being 'the princess'.

Their nicknames for each other explained the entire thing better than he had realized until now.

So he took two daring steps forward and kissed her on the cheek – just a slight peck.

She was shocked. She was _blushing_. This made Raguna chuckle, and then he grabbed her hand and bowed.

"I really should be going." Grabbing his watering can, he dashed towards his house, out of the town, away from Bianca – and possibly Jasper's – sight. He didn't want to go back to Third Street ever again. Not to get through to the plaza, not to visit Mayor Godwin (or Felicity, who he was considering marrying instead), and definitely not to visit Jasper's mansion.

At the same time, he wanted to go back and see Bianca. His obsession had not been erased by such a simple act and he found himself still in the denial of reality. After Moonlight Eve, his obsession slowly came back, stronger than ever. She was too beautiful in the moonlight, too cute amongst the flowers. One small kiss on the cheek changed the entire game plan. It made her blush, red like the tomatoes her father enjoys. More importantly, it seemed to make her smile.

Just a little bit.

She was adorable in such a dazed state, bemused and bewildered, processing it just as Raguna had to process her arrival. Though her shock wasn't quite what he'd call 'returning feelings', as anyone will be… surprised if you randomly kiss them, it made him noticeable. It made him something in her life. It gave him the attention that he wanted from her, or perhaps it would make her avoid him. He hadn't left his farmland and downwards in days, finding no need to go up to the town. He had no idea what Bianca was up to, or if she had told anyone.

It was several days later when Raguna finally headed to Kardia for the Wool Contest. He could not participate, not having Woolys (though he had seen them in Toros Cave), but he enjoyed watching the village in its celebration and the contestants as they presented their prized objects. On this holiday, the finest wool would earn the owner the respect of all the villagers. Camus entered every year, and Melody was cheering him on brightly. They seemed closer, and Raguna was pretty sure he was right when he saw Melody's witch hat on the mountain.

On the right side of the plaza, his attention turned to Bianca, wearing his favorite dress. He half-expected to see her light pink parasol that she usually brought along with her on holidays, but then remembered it was fall already. There was no need for things to hide her from the smoldering heat of the sun. The cool breezes were quite nice enough.

She was standing next to Tabatha, as usual, with her father somewhere up in front.

He wouldn't confront her. He wouldn't want to _upset_ her, after all.

Instead he waited patiently until the contest was over. Neumann was declared the winner and Felicity looked particularly cheerful, since she helped around his farm and all. Of course, he could care less about the two – much like Sabrina, who he had heard was Neumann's ex-wife. Ouch.

The plaza cleared out fairly quickly. Most villagers retired to prepare and eat dinner at six. Bianca was one of the few who stayed behind, and he could pick out that Tabatha was going to go start dinner and would bring her back to the manor at seven.

It was then that Bianca saw him in the center of the plaza, and she strolled over with a pout on her face, though her hands were folded in front of her again. He didn't smile, and, frankly, he couldn't. He thought, at first, that she was going to slap him and make him apologize. He thought that she would cause a scene in the plaza, but, instead, she whispered, very incognito, "Do you always kiss girls and then run away, leaving them clueless and possibly unable to sleep for several days? Do you know how unnerving that is?"

He tried to respond, getting out a few letters but nothing much when she took a step forward and continued. "And, you know what really gets on my nerves, sir? _You didn't even do it right_."

"W-wh—"

"You didn't do it right." She crosses her arms again. "You didn't _kiss_ me right." Sighing, she grabs his hand and plays around with his gloves, looking towards the sky. "So you have to do it again."

"You're not making any damn sense, Bianca." He squints as though it'll reveal what she means. "I didn't kiss you right, so I have… to do it again? What?"

Bianca sighs and moves her hands to massage her temples. "I mean, you have to kiss me again. The right way. On the lips. And no running away afterwards."

"If that's what you want."

"Well, I couldn't very well let you get away with not even _kissing_ me right."

She keeps emphasizing 'kiss', impatient.

So he does.

He does and he is lost in the moment, lost in her and her adorable way of everything. Gingerly, lightly, both knowing full well that this is just another kiss.

But this kiss is right. She said it herself.

He's still not sure what to think of her marching up and demanding a kiss to be _corrected_. There are so many strange things about her – strange things all around, really. After this he wants them to return to their quiet normalcy. No more kisses in the park, no more planting flowers for her – stalking her. _Normal_.

He's got work to do and she's got.

What does she have?

She's a spoiled, selfish prude who lounges around all day, free to do whatever she wants, never to work a day in her life, who thinks that she can just walk up to him and demand a kiss. He knows that he can't have her anyway – different lifestyles and different needs – but he will pretend that he does have her for however long this lasts, this … relationship he has with her. It's hardly a relationship in the first place – it's just a kiss, isn't it? Would Bianca think it was just a kiss?

Of course she would. She would think it was just a _correction_, spoiled little doll she is, and that's, in one way or another, alright. That's fine with him, who would gladly be used and abused by this girl if it meant that he could kiss her again and again.

And now he can swear he tastes her unattainable sweetness, too, like strawberries.


	2. handGRENADE

**a/n**: for the record, the last time I was here there was no Rune Factory section and we were all just clumped together with Harvest Moon, so cheers to for creating one.

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**Title**: handGRENADE**  
Author**: alcoholiccoffee**  
Pairing**: Raguna/Bianca**  
Fandom**: Rune Factory**  
Theme**: #3, jolt!**  
Disclaimer**: Rune Factory © Natsume.  
I actually wrote Raguna/Bianca angst and it brokke my heart.  
Also, I may or may not subconsciously seriously have a death wish for Mist. o.o`  
LOTS OF DOORSLAMMING. 8D (God, these are long. I should write a shortfic sometime.)  
also lolraguna is an asshole. :]  
/author's note

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Raguna could only stand there, mouth agape and his right hand hovering over his reddened cheek, when Bianca slammed the door shut. It didn't sound like a door at all, really – more like a grenade exploding.

He was still attempting to comprehend what had just happened when Tabatha scurried to her lady's door and tried to check up on her, only to find that she was being ignored. Twisting the doorknob and attempting to push the door lead only to a semi-loud _thump_ as the door refused to budge.

Now the maid glared at Raguna for a few moments, folding her arms. This didn't last long – Raguna, being as shocked as he was, could only stare blankly back, and so Tabatha grabbed her skirts in one fist and walked briskly to the kitchen.

By the time he realized that Bianca had slapped him across the face and stormed off muttering something about how he was 'no good' and how he was 'courting other girls', Jasper had actually left his food in the dining room and came outside to give him a good talking – or perhaps beating – for hurting his daughter's feelings. Which, of course, Raguna still wasn't exactly sure how he'd done that. There was never a time, in his mind, where he had explicitly shown affection for anyone else after he became involved with Bianca, and even before, there were seldom moments that could come off as 'courting'.

His hand finally dropped to his side, eventually was curled into a fist.

"What's happened out here?" Jasper called, peeking out of the dining room. Seeing that Raguna was standing there, looking rather furious, he stepped out into the hallway. "Raguna, where is Bianca?" His cheeks flushed and he moved his eyes quickly, searching high and low for his daughter.

While normally he would chuckle at the man's obliviousness, Raguna found himself turning on a heel and stomping away. Jasper called after him, trying to get him to stop, but by the time he exited the mansion the cries had ceased.

In all truthfulness, maybe it was slightly wrong to be angry with Bianca, even if she were mad at him. Could she be blamed for what she heard, or what she saw? Misinterpretation was annoying, but surely Raguna should've been more willing to straighten things out than to simply rage at the poor girl.

That was a funny thought – as though Bianca was a 'poor girl'! She had everything. She could have everything, is Jasper didn't care so much about his food. She could have the entirety of Kardia, and would she share it with anyone?

No. Probably not.

Selfish and rude and rich beyond compare. What did she know about Raguna?

Nothing. Nothing at all, he bet! She probably didn't know how old she was, or what color his eyes were, or where he lived, or anything.

… he was just going to wish her a happy birthday. He wanted to give her a present; a necklace or a gem of some sort. Even if she had no appreciation for gifts, it didn't mean that all girls didn't more or less enjoy getting jewelry. Still, he couldn't bring himself to buy her something. He wasn't the richest farmer alive, and there was a constant nagging that she wouldn't like anything he got her and would get upset.

Well, she got upset anyway, but for reasons he didn't quite understand.

It took him a moment to notice that in his anger, he had ended up outside of Mist's house.

Though he was told by the villagers that Mist was strange and heard all kinds of rumors about her, he knew Mist for who she really was. After all, though she was a bit peculiar – most people do not offer you farming tools when you mention that you are fatigued after walking for three days – she had saved him and was effectively his first friend in Kardia. While he had made many more and the majority of the town admired him for his deeds (with the exception of course being Zavier, refusing to forgive him for 'stealing Mist's heart'), Mist was the first one he came to talk with whenever he had problems.

She was a bit of a ditz, but she was also helpful when it came to it. Her kindness was contagious, and during serious discussions, even when she didn't know answers, she was always thoughtful. Her primary concern was always how Raguna was, since she clearly saw how the farm was everyday at lunch when they would sit in the fields and eat something that she'd cook. She wasn't the best cook, either, but in this case, it was really just the thought that counted.

Raguna calmed down from his 'fight' with Bianca and knocked gently on Mist's door.

It was a great relief when he heard her call, "Give me—owww—just—ack!—a moment!"

After a series of clanging and various other noises which he could only assume were results of Mist's clumsiness, her head poked out of the door and her flustered face changed into a beaming smile.

"Oh, Raguna! Please, come in." She swung the door open and Raguna looked over her shoulder to see a variety of broken dishes, scattered pots and pans, some papers burning in the fireplace, and, of course, Mist's own room, looking messy as always.

When his blonde-haired acquaintance noticed she was blocking his path and stepped aside (chuckling nervously as she tended to do), he entered the house and asked quietly, "What happened here?"

Mist replied, her voice rather obnoxious as it rang through her home, "Oh, nothing. Just spring cleaning, right?" She shut and locked the door and continued with a pout. "Why are you here, Raguna? You look sort of upset."

Stepping carefully over the mess, he shook his head when he took his seat at Mist's table. "It's nothing too important, really." He waited until Mist joined him before he went on. "Bianca is kind of angry with me. She says that I've been flirting with other girls, or something." Propping his chin up on his right hand, he asked, "Have you heard anything? I mean, I don't do that, right? I don't do that consciously, at least…"

"I don't get why you like her, to be honest, Raguna."

"Please, don't—"

"It's not like you can ever buy her anything—"

"Mist—"

"—and she's so—"

"—if you say 'hard to stand'—"

"—hard to stand!"

"… damnit, Mist." Raguna stood up and slammed his hands down on the small oak table. "Bianca isn't all of the things that you say she is, okay? She's really nice—and lonely, and it's sad, you know? I just can't watch that." Staring at the ceiling, he added, "she's so sweet, if you would just stop—stop judging her based on what she seems like. Okay? She's really a great girl, mind you."

The silence that followed was unbearably awkward. Mist fiddled with her thumbs and finally said, "I think it's time for you to go, Raguna."

He muttered a small 'thanks' and slammed the door as he left, Bianca's words heavy on his heart yet again.

Mist | POV Switch

She didn't think that he heard her when she whispered under her breath, "I'm lonely, too." It was after his hand was on the doorknob, ready to pull it open.

When he slammed it closed, it made her uneasy knowing that he wasn't coming back. He probably didn't want her back. She wouldn't be visiting the farm for a few days, wouldn't be visiting him, hopefully. She felt her cheeks redden at her stupidity. How jealous Mist was of Bianca, that pretty little princess, with Raguna all to herself – and so ungrateful, too, to be _angry_ with him!

Maybe Bianca didn't see his hard work and his obsession first hand, but for Mist, it was more than she could stand! Everything that Raguna did, she was sure that he did it for that violet-haired… demon!

Trying to get a house expansion and furnishing his house better. Oh, he claimed it was just because he wanted it to be cozier, but Mist remembered when Bianca marched right into his home one day and insulted it. Raguna later told her all about it, how he thought that it was 'homey'. And then he asked who that girl was, and now Mist realizes she should've just told him she was no one. She didn't exist – she lived faraway – she was a terrible witch who would cast a spell on him, give him a terrible disease and slowly suck the life out of him like a succubus.

But she told him none of these things and described her as the 'spoiled daughter of Jasper, who judges all of Kardia's food-related contests'.

Maybe she should've known better than to openly insult the girl, because it triggered something in Raguna. Some kind of need to search for justice, to 'save his princess' or some heroic thing like that. Oh, Raguna was such a hero – is such a hero.

It must've been months later at one of the town festivals when she saw him with her and instead sped away, heartbroken and maybe even furious at his decision. How quickly she would've given her heart to him, cooked him all his meals, held conversation in a far less condescending and dry manner than Bianca, but it would seem that none of it would've even mattered.

The days after, leading up to this one as well, were like rollercoasters, where she would go up and become hopeful – she had no proof that Bianca and Raguna were in love, much less even liked each other – and then she would fall, hopelessly. Every time she thought that there was still a chance to get married to the talented and illustrious boy, she would crash – hard – when he visited some days to talk about his day with Bianca.

During lunch, that was the only thing he started to talk about, too. Bianca or Tabatha, and sometimes even Jasper, who Mist had learned was a humorous man with many quirks to laugh about. Of course, Mist couldn't laugh. All she could do was think these terrible, malicious thoughts about how Raguna was her best friend – and that was all he wanted to be, when it was so obvious that he should've been so much more, that she _wanted_ him to be so much more.

That was how those fairytales that Bianca was so very fond of (as Raguna had informed her) worked. They were _best friends_, and they should fall in love and get married and live happily together, forever, but Bianca became the damsel in distress, and all of a sudden Mist wasn't important. All Raguna wanted to do was to save the princess.

Bianca got everything. It was unbearable.

Mist crawled into bed that evening and left her house in its messy state. There was nothing to care about it Raguna wouldn't be visiting. The only thing left to do was to look forward to her dreams, which would be filled with him and her, and their happy future together as it should be – as it always should've been.

It rained on Wednesday. Raining in summer – how unfortunate, though Raguna would be overjoyed. She could imagine his words if he were here right now. 'More time to spend with Bianca.' And he would smile that perfect smile, the one that she would watch, carefully, to see if he ever showed it to anyone else. She knew that that's how things worked out – you knew that he loved you because he would smile at you a certain way. It was one of those surefire signs.

Of course, Mist was never actually sure if it was because he loved Mist or because he loved Bianca. He loved thinking about Bianca, talking about Bianca, being with Bianca, and that was the only reason he would ever show that smile in her presence.

Even then, it wasn't a special smile. He shot it at anyone, really, and that gave her hope, too. Enough hope that she managed to push herself out of bed and gussy up. Grabbing her small umbrella – plain and white with blue lace on the ends – she walked outside. It was raining hard and drops pelted against her pale skin if she accidentally shifted the umbrella's position so it didn't completely cover her. However, for the past year she had always visited Raguna's house on rainy days. She was lonely on them and she was desperate to cling to the thought of Raguna being there for her.

It didn't actually make a difference most days. Raguna would leave and do his other tasks, go to caves, visit Bianca, as usual, but at least Mist was in his house and could pretend that, yes, he allowed her to stay there because he loved her, or felt something for her – so she was convinced that she was more than dirt to him.

She closed her umbrella when she was in front of his door and opened it gingerly, then stepped in, cautious not to wake him, should he still be asleep. Shutting the door calmly, she closed her eyes for a moment longer than a standard blink.

When Mist opened her pale blue eyes, she found that even though Raguna was awake, the house was dead silent. He was leering and sitting at the table in the center of the room, though he looked exhausted as though he had never slept. Of course, Mist knew that he could never manage to stay up for twenty-four hours – he would always pass out sometime after six but before eight, most of the time out in the fields so that Doctor Edwards would have to look after him in the clinic.

"Raguna?" She murmured, quiet enough that she thought that the rain would drown out the sound of her voice. Her heart skipped beats as she realized that she didn't belong here, a blush overcame her face and she found herself staring at her feet. How could she intrude on him in his own house after openly insulting his decisions and bashing the one person he loved after his amnesia?

Raguna | POV Switch

He couldn't believe that she had actually come by. When he woke up at three in the morning due to his nightmares, he noticed the rain beginning to fall and watched it as it fell in heavier sheets. Then he started worrying that she would visit his house – her house by rights, but _his_ for the time being – as she always did on rainy days.

He was out of patience for anyone other than himself bashing Bianca, mainly because he had good reason to and everyone _else_ was just being ungodly amounts of stupid. Raguna knew that he was being childish, most likely. He couldn't find the flaw in his logic and didn't really fancy trying to pick it apart to correct it, but he knew that if he explained it to someone else, they would stare at him as they had when they first laid eyes on him, and then they would say something about how Mist had gotten to him, or something equally preposterous.

He had to admit that he never actually realized how similar Bianca and Mist were – the town liked neither, though Bianca was the richer (and more beautiful) of the two. Maybe he should've felt foolish for his 'judging' as well, but he couldn't think of it that way. It just didn't work. Bianca hadn't said a word against Mist – she implied that Mist was tricking him into something, or being fake, but she never actually said that Mist was a terrible, strange, obnoxious girl, which was what she was, very clearly. He marveled at Bianca's kindness – oh, how she could hold her tongue like that.

He was a bit bewildered when Mist actually spoke in his presence instead of running off, blushing like mad, as she tended to do.

"Mist."

He was more bewildered that he could say her name in a calm voice and keep his eyes on her, as though she wasn't despicable and all kinds of terrible – which she was, obviously.

When he stood up, ready to stomp over to the wretch and guide her out the door, she rushed forward and, in what seemed like one swift movement, had her hands around Raguna's neck. She cried on his shoulder now, rather repulsively and overall made of lots of things that were not good. And even then, with this _very_ uninvited and uncomfortable action, he found it harder than ever to be mad at Mist when she yelled in between sobs, "I'm sorry, Raguna! I'm so, so sorry for…"

The rest was more or less incoherent – and Raguna didn't feel a lick of guilt and he felt no need to forgive her, but he wasn't angry anymore. In fact, it was as though the entire well of emotion in Raguna's being had run dry. Tasteless and apathetic for the moment, he found no reason not to kiss the blonde.

He would give Bianca something to be goddamn _furious_ about.


	3. empty spaces in her wardrobe

**Title**: empty spaces in her wardrobe—"why don't _you_ fix it?"**  
Author**: alcoholiccoffee**  
Pairing**: Raguna/Bianca**  
Fandom**: Rune Factory**  
Theme**: #19, red**  
Disclaimer**: Rune Factory © Natsume.

Laces; he loves the laces on her dresses, decorative and finely crafted. How much money does she spend a year on her extravagant clothing, all laced up and very much ornamental? She hardly goes out, but she wears a new dress for him everyday. Olive green, vivid cerulean, cherry blossom pink, amethyst, periwinkle, celadon, peach, amber, carrot orange, tea rose—the list of colors went on, each different from one another. And whenever Raguna would compliment Bianca on her dresses, she would say, 'No, no—you've got it all wrong! This is quite clearly cornflower, _not_ carolina.'

They are mostly colors that are light and bubbly. He had never worn a dress, but he imagines that it makes Bianca feel confident, or that it puts a spring in her step. Light, bubbly colors—nothing that would drag her down.

Then in winter she would be in white or silver, and sometimes black, though never a lot of it. Even then, everything had a specific shade—ivory, cream, seashell, magnolia, charcoal, arsenic. She doesn't think it's appropriate to walk about the town on a snowy day obnoxiously bright and colorful. The whites of her dresses would sometimes look rather displeasing anyway in direct sunlight, but then the snow did, too, so it wasn't anything that people wouldn't be used to.

Bianca obsesses with looking her best and she obsesses over colors. Dresses and colors, and laces, apparently, which isn't news to anyone. It's simply who she has always been. Jasper spoils her rotten with all of his money, so long as he has enough to eat, and he imports all kinds of fancy dresses to his house in Kardia. Shirtwaists, sundresses, tea gowns, even ball gowns (which Bianca had never worn but hopes to one day, or so she says) can be found in her closet.

But Raguna notices that she doesn't own a single red dress. Not a single one. He's never seen her wear red, other than that ribbon of hers. No maroon, no crimson, no rose. The only color he actually knows the shades of and he only ever sees it on her when she blushes, all rosy red and dark pink, after their kisses.

His first thought is that Bianca doesn't _like_ red and, being as spoiled as she is, has had Jasper return any red dresses he buys until he finally realizes that, no, that cute shirtwaist cannot be excused from the fact that it is the color of amaranth flowers. Then Raguna realizes that Bianca likes all colors, and if she did dislike red so much she would have her ribbon replaced. Specific as she is, he still doesn't think that she would actually be so particular whereas she could wear a color in her hair, but never on her body.

No, Bianca would get her apple red ribbon replaced with one that is _carnation pink_ or perhaps a pink that is bright, lively, _neon_, if she really didn't like red.

And then he decides that the rest of his savings for the year are going towards a green and red dress for Bianca for her birthday.

We have to start somewhere.


	4. liar

**Title**: liar.**  
Author**: alcoholiccoffee**  
Pairing**: Raguna/Bianca**  
Fandom**: Rune Factory**  
Theme**: #27, overflow**  
Disclaimer**: Rune Factory © Natsume.

"Every time I say something, I'm afraid you won't like me anymore," she cries out, staring into his eyes and feeling helpless again, like she always does when she's being stubborn or acting like a baby.

It gets worse when he wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her in. "I'll always love you," he whispers, but even in such a hushed voice it's easy to hear how obstinate he is—he has always loved her.

Ten seconds of silence and suddenly she's shaking so violently, bursting into tears seemingly from nowhere when she replies, blandly, "You're a terrible liar."

Bianca stays away from those words. 'Forever', 'always', 'eternity'; promises no one can keep, that no one has ever kept. Raguna can't be an exception because it makes her vulnerable, but there is an aching in her heart and she wants to believe him. She trusts him and it is dangerous for her—and for him, too. She's dependent, always afraid and always leaning on something—dependent on his kisses, his hugs, his house and the monsters, much as she hates the dirt on her dresses.

Her heart overflows with all of the things that she wants to say that she can never say; these feelings of hope, naivety, and despair, and the tears come harder now, and she wonders why Raguna doesn't push her away right then and there, ask her if that's what she thinks of him; stomp away angrily at her lack of faith.

But Raguna is always there, always reasonable and handsome and perfect—"I hate you," she mutters, still holding onto him desperately—and it's hard to doubt that he will never let anyone down.


	5. please remember !

**Title**: please remember ... !**  
Author**: alcoholiccoffee**  
Pairing**: Raguna/Bianca**  
Fandom**: Rune Factory**  
Theme**: #2, news; letter**  
Disclaimer**: Rune Factory © Natsume.

Sugary things and joy. Sweets for your darling; black forest cake, candycanes, strawberries, hot chocolate, little morsels for him or her. Raguna only gets chocolate from Bianca on Winter 6th for the Winter Festival. Again on Winter 24th, they were together. Sacred Night, at Bianca's house, with Tabatha's cooking and endless banter between Raguna and her 'family'. When Jasper was not stuffing his face, as the slob he is (which Bianca takes no offense to, though will often pretend to), he told jokes. Bad jokes, to say the least, but they lightened the mood and welcomed Raguna into the de Sainte-Coquille house.

Now, Winter 30th, the last day of the year; together again. They have been practically every day of the Winter, trying to keep warm with each other, laughing about how awful the snow is, spending blizzards inside Raguna's house when timing has been particularly bad.

"How sweet," Mist cries behind gritted teeth. Her jealousy would not ruin the season. Instead, Bianca and Raguna sit in front of his fireplace in each other's arms. 'How sweet', indeed, though it's far closer to bittersweet. No matter what he whispers in her ear and no matter how many carols they sing, cups of hot chocolate they share, or moments they try to grasp in their hands, they both know that this is the last time.

"We're leaving," she said, trying not to make eye contact. For weeks he could not eat, could not sleep, could barely move until news spread about his mysterious disappearance. An entire season spent away from home; weeks in the frozen labyrinth under Toros, staring at the bare patches of crops in the permanent iceland. He waited for his heart to freeze over and for the pain in his heart to stop. Weeks of avoiding the mountain for fear of seeing his strawberries, waiting for water. He had said far too many times that she was --

-- sweet like strawberries.

Raguna can never stop loving her. In these moments, they know that Raguna walks away most scarred; most hurt and most in pain. His most successful crop must be cast aside; those growing in Mt. Giant must be cut down. They hurt too much to look at, knowing that the only girl he really grows them for might not come back.

"If I had known," she said, "I never would've asked."

But he doesn't blame her; never could.

He needs her to remember, though. Remember the strange amnesiac stalkerboy, and that he will never stop loving her.

When the summer comes by in thirty days, he will remember the taste of strawberries, but she will be long gone, and she will meet new boys. Smarter boys, wealthier boys; boys that can take better care of her than he can. Were she to be sold for money as a wife, she would be set for life. A perfect example of a respectable woman. Bianca de Sainte-Coquille, married to a man that she does not love but rather respects, wealthier than most due to smart decisions and a family fortune.

And he will stay here, waiting. Mourning. Remembering. Raguna, the heartbroken farmer. The title would go down for years; his children, were he ever to have any children, would be remembered for 'almost' being the sons and daughters of the de Sainte-Coquille family line. It wasn't something that he would keep under wraps. There was nothing to be ashamed of in their relationship. Unfortunate timing, maybe, but it would be something that he would be proud of; the idea that he was once 'almost' married to Bianca.

"Will you come back?" It was not something he wanted to ask in truth.

"I would try." The answer did not displease him.

The quiet of the new year closed in on them; even the crackling of the fire grew low in light of the last few moments of their time. The last kiss of the year is a gentle promise. 'I'll be waiting.'


	6. the masked harvester!

**Title**: the masked harvester!**  
Author**: alcoholiccoffee**  
Pairing**: Raguna/Bianca**  
Fandom**: Rune Factory**  
Theme**: #21, violence; **pillage/plunder**; extortion**  
Disclaimer**: Rune Factory © Natsume. … this is a bit of a far stretch for pillage/plunder, also, and it's kind of crackfic-cy. (by kind of, I mean incredibly.) Also, holy run-on sentences, Batman! (you'll see.)

There were three of them in Trampoli's Rune Archives that day, which was just the fancy title for the local library. Considering the entire population count of Trampoli was less than twenty, the woman running it was absolutely mad, and the place had been in an irreparable mess ever since said woman had moved in, having three people in the library at once was very impressive. Of course, one of those three was the librarian herself, so it was really only two.

That was still pretty impressive, and Selphy couldn't help giggling to herself. The woman was positively _ecstatic_, and her guests - the only real library patron and his girlfriend of sorts - were a bit wary at this point. At least, the girlfriend of sorts was. Bianca, having no need to borrow _anything_, had never had to witness the librarian's crazy mad fits of laughter in relation to all things book-related and the possibility of getting money for _more_ books. Raguna, on the other hand, had visited the library more or less every day, and was a bit more used to Selphy's brand of insanity, yet still a bit bewildered by how happy visitors made her.

In between giggles, the blonde managed to say something along the lines of, "Hey, Raguna. What d'ya need?"

He was kind of afraid to answer that question, but then he knew that Bianca was staring at him, wondering why he was stalling and wishing he would just _get on with it_ already - and an upset Bianca was frightening and he wasn't even going to go there. "I just need a recipe book fo--"

"Recipe books? Haha, I have lots of those!"

"Yeah, I --"

"Anything specific?"

"I was just getting to -- not really. Just some recipes for sweets, like … cakes?"

From behind him Bianca mumbled, "Desserts. Delicacies."

"I … should have those around here _somewhere_," Selphy muttered. It looked like she was thinking rather hard about the location of such books, and such behavior continued for roughly forty-five seconds before making up her mind and smiling again, at which point she began walking with quite the spring in her step towards the ladder up to the second floor of the library where the astrology and miscellaneous books were usually shelved (including How to Please Your Woman, something she picked up very specifically for _someone_). Raguna followed her to the ladder and _would've_ followed her up if he wasn't terrified of the pervert accusations -- _nonsensical_ pervert accusations, as Selphy was wearing bloomers as always and it wasn't like he would see her panties through _those_ (which was both a relief and a disappointment, being the morally conflicted farmer). He knew that he couldn't help her look, mostly because she would just yell at him for getting the books … out of order and then partially because the books were impossible to sift through easily, so instead he stayed on the ground floor and watched in amazement as Selphy managed to look at the first book on any shelf and _know_ - really know! - that such a book would not be there.

Maybe his head was spinning, he was so amazed.

Then she started talking while she was looking and she managed to excel at both things at once, and neither her eyes nor her mouth ever slowed down, and it was the most brilliant multi-tasking he had ever seen and -- oh! -- it was love all over again! "So, Raguna, you like books, right?" She didn't even wait for an answer because she knew that, too, without even having to think about it. If Raguna _didn't_ like books, he certainly wouldn't visit the library almost every day. "I was walking around Trampoli the other day, wondering what I should write for my next book, when I started thinking about what kind of fictional character certain people in town would be.

"And I guess a lot of the people in town are really easy to categorize, mostly because they've all got these little quirks that fit in with storybook characters, but I got really stuck on figuring out _your_ storybook persona!

"So, I want you to help me figure it out. What kind of fictional character would you be?"

Raguna didn't even process that information for the first few minutes of conversation, considering that his head was still spinning and she was still being somewhat flabbergasting in her work, and when he did he wasn't really feeling very intelligent so he started his answer with, "Me?" Selphy didn't respond to that, probably more interested in whatever she had just found, which did not look like a book of recipes and Raguna wasn't really sure _what_ was on the cover but he knew that it was _not_ a book of recipes. Instead he continued. "If … I were any kind of character, I … think I'd be a villain."

Bianca, sitting on Selphy's desk (she knocked over about a thousand books just to get on the very edge), raised a single eyebrow at that statement and became more interested in the conversation than her nails for a few brief moments -- something only Raguna ever managed to do.

"And," - he was smiling now - "I'd run around with the Harvester and collect _all_ of the Runeys in Trampoli, and everyone would scream about how I was stealing their Runeys, but no one would be able to do anything about it. And I would keep all of the town's Runeys to myself and nothing would prosper, ever, and, on top of that, I'd run around and kiss all of the cute girls."

Selphy cracked up, and then Raguna joined her, and there was a cacophony of laughter in the Rune Archives.

After they were done for the most part, Bianca was less amused, and instead hopped off of Selphy's desk and glared at Raguna before straightening out her dress and heading for the door. "Please never speak to me again."

Selphy was about to apologize for bringing up the topic (which was sure to be followed with something about how stingy or serious Bianca was) when Raguna smiled, chuckled a bit nervously, and reassured her that she'd be over it by morning.


	7. sorrow

**a/n**: hello, friends! i've returned with some raguna/bianca for you. well, subtle raguna/bianca as i wasn't sure what to focus on in this. the 'kiss' can be interpreted however, but my intention was (i suppose) to cop out and assume that you associate wedding with the wedding kiss. )

on the other hand, you could consider death's kiss. whatever floats your boat. finally gonna finish this challenge, hopefully!  


* * *

**Title**: sorrow.  
**Author**: alcoholiccoffee  
**Pairing**: Raguna/Bianca  
**Fandom**: Rune Factory  
**Theme**: #6, the space between dream and reality  
**Disclaimer**: Rune Factory © Natsume.

He woke up there but couldn't remember how. He didn't remember himself, body or mind. He didn't recall how time passed, what it became, what it lead to; he wasn't _aware_ of anything. When he woke up, he was just there (here?) and he was alive, and there was nothing except the forest and the grass and the woodland animals.

His most primitive instincts told him to walk, to survive, but he didn't know where he was and he didn't understand direction. He was alive, though, and his brain sent all of those electrical signals that would make him move and walk and try to understand. After a while, the understanding stopped mattering. He was dying, and he remembered at least what it was to die, and he was afraid. He stopped thinking about the world and about himself. He only walked.

All of the walking led him to a house near a river where this peculiar blond woman lived. Believing he would survive now, he collapsed and sought solace and rest.

The peculiar blond woman found him, started his life for him, and went as far as to name him (Raguna, she said). She didn't know him, but she adopted him into her world and her village. Although Raguna was no longer dying, he wondered why understanding mattered. He distracted himself from what he wanted to know (thought he knew, once) and become engrossed in the new things to learn.

Over time, he lived and died. His farm was large and successful. He ventured into caves every so often for extra money and materials. Sometimes he planted crops in the caves. Otherwise, he fell in love, married, and had children.

But he never understood.

At one point, it stopped mattering at all. He lost himself in the new world and settled down. He was happy. (He thought he was happy.)

On his deathbed, his bones ached with the wanting though. _(Who am I?)_ All of the fear and the uncertainty and the need to understand rattled him. As his final hour approached, reality slipped out of his grasp. He saw people that he didn't know with features of the people he did; he saw women with his wife's curly blue hair but masked faces and children like his with faces of ghouls.

He saw his house, the simple wooden cabin, and noticed that something seemed off without being able to place what it was. His friends visited and their appearances shifted ever so slightly, making them look like completely different people. Raguna blamed it on fever, but his bones knew.

Deep down in his bones, he understood that this was what happened to people who never understood. Beyond the door of souls, all that remained for him was the eternal wanting and wondering, and the pain associated.


End file.
